Advanced BioTech/MultiFIX® Links Library
Welcome to the Advanced BioTech Links Library, a growing resource designed to help farmers find information they need to stay current on agricultural best practices. We strive to provide farmers with the most up-to-date information available. So if you know of a link that should be here, please let us know by leaving a comment at the bottom of the page. Thank you!
To order MultiFIX®, the Optimum Food for Microbes, please click on the button below.
| EDUCATION |
| LAWS AND REGULATIONS |
| MICROBES |
| NEWS AND INFORMATION |
| PUBLIC AGENCIES |
| REFERENCE |
| RESEARCH JOURNALS |
| SMARTER FARMING |
EDUCATION
- Exploring the Hidden World of Microbes: A Curriculum for Enhancing Farmer Microbial Literacy The primary purpose of this course is to render the invisible world of microbes visible to farmers. This course provides scientific-based instruction exploring how microbes can assist agriculture.
Agricultural Colleges and Universities
- Auburn University College of Agriculture As agricultural scientists, our focus is on the food, fuel, water and natural resources that keep our world moving. We are working to make food safer, the environment cleaner and communities healthier. We are working to stamp out poverty while making farms more efficient and sustainable.
- California State University, Chico — College of Agriculture For those enrolling in our programs, the College of Agriculture provides students the opportunity to choose challenging careers from among the many professional areas of agricultural sciences. The curriculum offers a combination of humanities and specialized fields in the sciences, technology, and business to ensure a holistic, systems-based approach to career preparation.
- California State University, Fresno — Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology The Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology offers high quality undergraduate, graduate and continuing education programs in the major areas of agricultural business; animal sciences and agricultural education; child, family and consumer sciences; food science and nutrition; industrial technology; plant science; and viticulture and enology.
- CalPoly SLO College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences boasts one of the nation’s most prestigious undergraduate agriculture programs. Our expert faculty members take pride in their ability to transform academically motivated students into innovative professionals ready to solve the complex challenges associated with feeding the world in sustainable ways.
- Clemson University College of Agriculture Forestry and Life Sciences The College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences (CAFLS) embodies founder Thomas Green Clemson’s vision of a “high seminary of learning” focused on improving the lives of South Carolinians through education, discovery, and outreach in the agricultural and life sciences.
- Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences Since 1870, the College of Agricultural Sciences has been an integral part of the Colorado State University experience. We are committed to our land-grant roots and are leading Colorado’s agricultural strategic growth through research, education and strong industry partnerships. Feeding the world and creating solutions to climate change are our goals. And we need you to help us do this together.
- Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Cornell's CALS is considered by many to be the top agriculture school in the United States, if not the world. With 16 departments within its two schools offering ag degrees as varied as Computational Biology, Global Development and Landscape Architecture, it's not surprising that this Ivy League school is consistently at or near the top of the list.
- Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is one of the world’s leading institutions of agriculture, with more than 160 years of leadership in science, education and extension. The college educates future leaders, conducts mission-oriented research and shares new knowledge for the betterment of Iowa and the world.
- Kansas State University College of Agriculture We’re proud to be recognized as one of the nation’s top ag schools. It’s not something we seek out. It’s an outgrowth of our dedication to advancing the science of agriculture and the art of teaching. Every day, we put our hands and minds together to work on better ways to achieve sustainability, feed billions, build agribusinesses and improve lives with thoughtful, well-researched use of plants, animals, numbers and words.
- Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources In the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, students use science, technology, engineering, mathematics, business and creative design to tackle some of the world’s biggest problems related to food, health and the environment.
- Mississippi State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Established in 1878 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of the State of Mississippi, Mississippi State University today continues to excel in its original mission of education, research, and service.
- North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences The future poses stark challenges for food, agriculture, energy and the environment. At the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, we transform those challenges into opportunities that benefit everyone. We prepare our students and stakeholders to thrive in a global marketplace. We pursue cutting-edge research on campus and at 18 stations across the state, and we put those results to work.
- Oklahoma State University Ferguson College of Agriculture We are committed to expanding minds and inspiring purpose. The Ferguson College of Agriculture provides opportunities for you to gain knowledge in your major, as well as outside your major. Our passion is helping you embrace your potential, and giving you the tools to make the most of your education.
- PennState College of Agricultural Sciences From our 1855 start as the Farmers’ High School, agriculture has been at the core of the Penn State mission and identity. Today, the best and brightest teach and learn with us at campuses across Pennsylvania and in locations across the planet. The College of Agricultural Sciences is a world leader in agricultural research and learning, driving discovery and solutions that make life better.
- Purdue University College of Agriculture Purdue University’s College of Agriculture is one of the world’s leading colleges of agricultural, food, life, and natural resource sciences. As a land-grant institution, we are committed to preparing our students to make a difference, wherever their careers take them.
- Texas A&M University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences provides hands-on, first-hand learning opportunities and experiences to each student, preparing them to go beyond College Station to reach every Texan. Our students are finding solutions for urgent global and local challenges in Agriculture, Health, Education, Public Policy, Economics, and the Environment.
- Texas Tech University Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources If you're exploring the possibility of an education in the field of agricultural sciences or natural resources, we're excited about the possibility of you investigating Texas Tech. We have programs in Davis College which prepare young men and women to become leaders in the food, fiber, agriculture, renewable natural resources, or environmental disciplines.
- The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) is one college spread across three campuses, with our faculty and staff split evenly among the three campuses. We have three mission areas, all dedicated to one essential purpose: We sustain life.
- UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is dedicated to solving real-world problems in the agricultural, environmental, and human sciences to produce a better world, healthier lives, and an improved standard of living for everyone.
- University of Florida College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Around here, agriculture means more than producing the next generation of farmers and ranchers. We also grow biologists, communicators, doctors, attorneys, and scientists. Our students learn from the top minds in the agricultural and life sciences, and are encouraged to step outside the classroom to go wherever their passions take them.
- University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences No matter the program, we have unique learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom for our students. CAES offers world-class immersive learning experiences, including internships, research opportunities and study abroad programs. See where CAES can take you and discover how you can unlock your true potential at UGA.
- University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Sciences The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences leads research and Extension efforts related to various issues and our faculty and students are finding solutions to the world’s most critical challenges in order to create and sustain an abundant food and energy supply, a healthy environment and successful families and communities.
- University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Help make the world a better place by growing and sharing affordable food to keep people and communities healthy, and preserving and restoring our natural resources. Whether you’re into math or marketing, machinery or medicine, the College of ACES gives you the power to change the world.
- University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences In the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Sciences, we look at the bigger picture. Every day our students, faculty and staff use science to create a world that will feed our growing population while sustaining the natural resources upon which we depend.
- University of Wisconsin College of Agricultural and Life Sciences The University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences is an engine of scientific discovery, with researchers working across the spectrum of agricultural and life sciences. Academically, the college offers research-based, hands-on teaching of undergraduates; world-class graduate programs rich in research and project assistantships; and short courses, workshops and other programs.
- Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences To seek knowledge—and share it. To cultivate understanding—and champion it. To envision change—and lead it. To imagine a world beyond boundaries—and build it. For more than 150 years this very idea has thrived at the heart of everything we do and every life we touch.
- Washington State University College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences From the soil beneath your feet to the clothes on your back, CAHNRS is the college of real-world research and global impacts. The CAHNRS mission: each and every one of our close to 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students leave equipped with the knowledge base, experience, and interpersonal communication skills to be job ready, day one.
Agricultural Institutes and Research Centers
- California Agricultural Issues Lab (CAIL) Formerly the UC Agricultural Issues Center
- California Agricultural Technology Institute Located on the campus of California State University, Fresno, CATI oversees operations of four centers which serve as bases for applied research and development activities.
- Center For Regenerative Agriculture And Resilient Systems at CSU Chico Welcome to the Future of Agriculture. The Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems (CRA) at California State University, Chico, seeks to promote regenerative farming practices to reduce greenhouse gasses, restore soil resiliency, increase the sustainability of farms and ranches, and address food and water insecurity.
- K-State Research and Extension Kansas State University's Research and Extension is a statewide network of educators sharing unbiased, research-based information and expertise on issues important to Kansas.
- Noble Research Institute Headquartered in Ardmore, Oklahoma, Noble's goal is to achieve land stewardship for improved soil health in grazing animal production with lasting producer profitability. Researchers, consultants, educators and ranch managers work together to give farmers and ranchers the skills and tools to regenerate the land in a profitable manner.
- Postharvest Technology Center, University of California The goal of the Postharvest Center at UC Davis is organizing and coordinating knowledge transfer regarding reduction of postharvest losses and improving the quality and marketability of fresh horticultural products.
- Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) RIPE) is an international research project that is engineering crops to be more productive by improving photosynthesis, the natural process all plants use to convert sunlight into energy and yields. By equipping farmers with higher-yielding crops, their goal is to ensure that everyone has enough food to lead a healthy, productive life.
- Soils for Science Gallery Soils for Science is a project of the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of Queensland (AUS). Their goal is to discover the next generation of antibiotics able to defeat drug-resistant infections (i.e. Superbugs)
- UC Cooperative Extension County Offices UC Cooperative Extension offices serve every county in California. Academic advisors work with farmers to implement more-efficient growing methods, solve pest management problems and develop smart water-use strategies.
- UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center (KARE) The UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center (KARE) is a world-class research operation in the heart of California’s San Joaquin Valley from which flows a steady stream of practical ideas and solutions ready for implementation by the region's farmers.
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) is a statewide network of University of California researchers and educators dedicated to the creation, development and application of knowledge in agricultural, natural and human resources.
- Vegetable Research and Information Center (VRIC) The purpose of the Vegetable Research and Information Center (VRIC) at UC Davis is to foster appropriate research, collect and disseminate information relevant to consumers, growers and processors in the California vegetable industry and to continue its role as a leader and nationally-recognized source of research and information in support of the vegetable industry.
Educational Resources
- Biology 2e This 2018 textbook from OpenStax is designed to cover the scope and sequence requirements of a typical two-semester biology course for science majors.
- Exploring the Hidden World of Microbes: A Curriculum for Enhancing Farmer Microbial Literacy The primary purpose of this course is to render the invisible world of microbes visible to farmers. This course provides scientific-based instruction exploring how microbes can assist agriculture.
- LibreTexts Biology Library The LibreTexts Biology Library Library is a principal hub of the LibreTexts project, which is a multi-institutional collaborative venture to develop the next generation of open-access texts to improve postsecondary education at all levels of higher learning.
- LibreTexts: Free the Textbook The LibreTexts mission is to unite students, faculty and scholars in a cooperative effort to develop an easy-to-use online platform for the construction, customization, and dissemination of open educational resources (OER) to reduce the burdens of unreasonable textbook costs to our students and society.
- SLF120: Introduction to Small Farm Viability From John Wood Community College in Quincy IL, courtesy of SkillsCommons.org. This course explores the practices and conditions that lead to small farm viability. Students will study economic and policy issues that affect small farm viability. Students will also examine practices of successful small farm operations.
LAWS AND REGULATIONS
- California Food & Agricultural Code (FAC) The FAC is the legislative code intended "for the purposes of promoting and protecting the agricultural industry of the state and for the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare."
- CCR, Title 3, Food and Agriculture California Code of Regulations administrative rules established by the Department of Food & Agriculture and the Department of Pesticide Regulation
- CDFA Proposed Regulations Proposals to adopt, amend or repeal California Department of Food & Agriculture
- USDA Regulations The Official and Complete Text of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Regulations
MICROBES
- Microbes A-Z: Your Questions Answered Have you ever wondered what microbes are? Are they… animals? Bacteria? Consumers? The American Museum of Natural History found the most commonly searched microbial questions, from A to Z, and answered them.
- Microbiome This journal's scope encompasses studies of microbiomes colonizing humans, animals, plants or the environment, especially in relation to agriculture. As part of the BioMed Central network, all articles published by Microbiome are made freely and permanently accessible online
- Soils for Science Gallery Soils for Science is a project of the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of Queensland (AUS). Their goal is to discover the next generation of antibiotics able to defeat drug-resistant infections (i.e. Superbugs)
- The Living Soil: Nematodes Comprehensive discussion of both beneficial and parasitic nematodes courtesy of the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service
NEWS AND INFORMATION
- A Cornucopia of Categories for Crops Listing of the Most Common Ways that the USDA Groups and Describes Crops
- Creating a Better Leaf. Could tinkering with photosynthesis prevent a global food crisis? The story of Professor Stephen Long, director of a project called Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), and their efforts to improve photosynthesis.
- How to Open a Pistachio Pistachios are delicious, but they're sometimes a pain to open. Here are a few tips and tricks from wikiHow that you may not have considered before.
- Pistachio Fact Sheet This production summary from the WIFSS at UC Davis provides an overview of growing, harvesting, packing, and holding practices for pistachios.
- Scientists Peek Inside The ‘Black Box’ Of Soil Microbes To Learn Their Secrets A tablespoon of soil contains billions of microscopic organisms. Life on Earth, especially the growing of food, depends on these microbes, but scientists don't even have names for most of them, much less a description.
- Sicily’s Emerald Green Gem — the Bronte Pistachio New York Times, 2017
- Specialty Crops…What Are They? “Specialty Crops” Refer to Weird Things Like…Fruits and Vegetables
- Understanding and Managing Soil Microbes A basic overview about soil microbes, their communities, and functions including opportunities and challenges associated with their management. By Terrence Bell, Assistant Professor of Phytobiomes, Pennsylvania State University
PUBLIC AGENCIES
- California Dept. of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
- National Agricultural Statistics Service The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is committed to providing timely, accurate, and useful statistics in service to U.S. agriculture.
- United States Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Official Website of the USDA
- USDA — Find your Local Service Center USDA Service Centers are locations where you can connect with Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or Rural Development employees for your business needs. Enter your state and county to find your local service center and agency offices.
- USDA National Program Deadlines View important upcoming and ongoing national USDA program deadlines. Note that this list does not include every deadline, and only includes federal deadlines.
REFERENCE
- Agricultural Statistics by US State Statistics Compiled by the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) for Each State. Also contains links to publications by state
- Biology Dictionary from Biology Online Biology Online calls its Biology Dictionary the largest dictionary of Biology terms and definitions in the world. Learn various topics, concepts, and principles in Biology by searching the definitions and essential details of 70,000+ Biology terms.
- National Agricultural Statistics Service The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is committed to providing timely, accurate, and useful statistics in service to U.S. agriculture.
- Pistachio Fact Sheet This production summary from the WIFSS at UC Davis provides an overview of growing, harvesting, packing, and holding practices for pistachios.
- The God Factor and the Pistachio Tree To the ancient Canaanites, the terebinth was sacred. And then there's that symbiosis the tree has with a bug.
- USDA Agricultural Projections to 2031 This report provides the USDA's projections for the agricultural sector to 2031, and covers commodities, trade, and aggregate indicators of the sector, such as farm income. Projections are based on specific assumptions, including a consensus macroeconomic scenario, existing U.S. policy and current international agreements.
- USDA California Climate Hub Helping California farmers maintain sustainable ecosystems by adapting to climate variability and change
- USDA Climate Hubs Supporting the USDA's Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan Connecting Science and Practice
RESEARCH JOURNALS
- Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment is a leading interdisciplinary forum that publishes research investigating all aspects of agroecological science since 1974. Their objective is to advance understanding of the patterns and processes governing agroecosystem functions, interactions with the environment and provision of ecosystem services. A central theme is how agriculture influences the environment and how changes in that environment impact agroecosystems.
- Biology and Fertility of Soils publishes original papers, reviews and short communications on all fundamental and applied aspects of biology – microflora and microfauna – and fertility of soils. It offers a forum for research aimed at broadening the understanding of biological functions, processes and interactions in soils, particularly concerning the increasing demands of agriculture, deforestation and industrialization.
- Deficit Irrigation – An Overview Learn about new ways to save water and enhance water savings in agriculture from Science Direct.
- Field Crops Research The Impact Factor of this journal is 5.224, ranking it 7 out of 91 in Agronomy
- Journal of Agricultural Science The Journal of Agricultural Science (from Cambridge University Press) publishes papers concerned with the advance of agriculture and the use of land resources throughout the world.
- Journal of Experimental Botany The aim of Journal of Experimental Botany (JXB) is to publish papers that advance our understanding of plant biology.
- Microbiome This journal's scope encompasses studies of microbiomes colonizing humans, animals, plants or the environment, especially in relation to agriculture. As part of the BioMed Central network, all articles published by Microbiome are made freely and permanently accessible online
- Molecular Plant Pathology Molecular Plant Pathology is an open-access journal published jointly with the British Society for Plant Pathology. publishes research from all areas of molecular plant pathology that advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of disease or disease management. This includes research on fungi, oomycetes, viruses, nematodes, bacteria, insects, parasitic plants and other organisms.
- Plant Biotechnology Journal Plant Biotechnology Journal is an open access journal publishing high-impact original research and incisive reviews with an emphasis on molecular plant sciences and their applications through plant biotechnology.
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) As one of the world's most-cited and comprehensive multidisciplinary scientific journals, PNAS publishes more than 3,500 research papers annually. Although not specifically focused on agriculture, PNAS is an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans the biological, physical, and social sciences.
- Theoretical and Applied Genetics International Journal of Plant Breeding Research
Journal Articles and Papers
- A global atlas of the dominant bacteria found in soil Soil bacteria play key roles in regulating terrestrial carbon dynamics, nutrient cycles, and plant productivity. However, the natural histories and distributions of these organisms remain largely undocumented.
- Cropping practices manipulate abundance patterns of root and soil microbiome members paving the way to smart farming Little is known to which extent and how specifically soil and plant microbiomes can be manipulated through different cropping practices. Here, we investigated soil and wheat root microbial communities in a cropping system experiment consisting of conventional and organic managements, both with different tillage intensities.
- Microbe to Microbiome: A Paradigm Shift in the Application of Microorganisms for Sustainable Agriculture An effective microbiome can offer benefits to its host, including plant growth promotion, nutrient use efficiency, and control of pests and phytopathogens. Therefore, there is an immediate need to bring functional potential of plant-associated microbiome and its innovation into crop production.
SMARTER FARMING
- Drip Irrigation for Row Crops This practical and complete guide for managing drip irrigation systems is one of the most thorough ones around. Thanks to the folks at New Mexico State University for putting this together.
- Noble Research Institute Headquartered in Ardmore, Oklahoma, Noble's goal is to achieve land stewardship for improved soil health in grazing animal production with lasting producer profitability. Researchers, consultants, educators and ranch managers work together to give farmers and ranchers the skills and tools to regenerate the land in a profitable manner.
- SMART Nutrient Management No matter the crops you produce or size of your operation, USDA can help you reduce input costs, maximize yields, and efficiently manage nutrients to support your bottom line and protect the environment.
Regulated Deficit Irrigation (RDI)
- Deficit Irrigation – An Overview Learn about new ways to save water and enhance water savings in agriculture from Science Direct.
- Deficit Irrigation for Reducing Agricultural Water Use At present and more so in the future, irrigated agriculture will take place under water scarcity. Insufficient water supply for irrigation will be the norm rather than the exception, and irrigation management will shift from emphasizing production per unit area towards maximizing the production per unit of water consumed.
- Regulated Deficit Irrigation in Trees and Vines From the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Agricultural Water Management: Proceedings of a Workshop in Tunisia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
